


The Words When We Collide

by mkaro (mkaroliina)



Series: In The Deepest Of My Heart [3]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alpha Lance (Voltron), Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Angst, I don't know how to tag lmao, Keith suffers, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Mutual Pining, Oblivious Lance (Voltron), Omega Keith (Voltron), Omega Verse, Pining Lance (Voltron), Self-Indulgent, broganes, just read it it's fun, keith and shiro are pseudo-brothers, keith is done with lances shit, omega instincts, there's some weird social stigma on words in this au, they fight until keith is like on the breaking point but it's fine
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-11
Updated: 2018-04-11
Packaged: 2019-04-21 11:38:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,362
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14284104
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mkaroliina/pseuds/mkaro
Summary: Keith's heat is about to start any minute now. Lance knows this because the omega has been stinking up the castle for what feels like an eternity with his sweet, sweet omega preheat scent, and Lance has been hovering for three hours now at the training deck, trying to convince Keith to stop his training. Why is he ignoring Lance? Why is the omega so set on training himself into an omega drop? Why does he always have to be so god damn difficult?





	The Words When We Collide

**Author's Note:**

> hey. this is the first fanfic I’ve ever written and also the most self-indulgent thing I have ever done in my entire life. I’m not even a writer and english isn’t my first language so pls don’t waste ur time giving me feedback on my grammar storyline disposition characterization or whatever it is y’all nag about. I’ll most likely not even read it if ur comment is longer than like…. 7 words. but seriously don’t criticize me I’m a sensitive baby and I don’t even wanna be a writer so uh why????? 
> 
> ANYWAY wow. I’m more of a reader of fanfiction but the closest a/b/o fic I could find with the exact things I wanted is the ‘every drop of blood I bleed’ series by cumslutkeith, oh god it was so close to being everything I could have ever wanted, but u know I also have some of my own ideas and wrote that down so ya here u go I guess. Just consider this to be a really extensive drabble of my headcanons or something I just really wanted an omegaverse fic about instinctive omega sounds, Keith suffering and a possibility for a throwback fic with a Garrison setting which is my fave.
> 
> Come talk to me more about this fic or other klance things on my [Tumblr!](http://moa404.tumblr.com)

_"Know that I am all the things_

_With a never ending chasm in my chest_

_A deep so deep your feet_

_will never know the ground."_

* * *

 

”Keith, should you really be training right now?” Lance questioned as he followed Keith’s every move with his frowning gaze. Keith didn’t even slow down to answer. “Are you even listening to me? You’ve been training for like 3 hours. At least take a water break,” he continued, waving the water bottle he brought with him just for this purpose, this time sounding a bit more aggravated than the past 15 times he’s interrupted the omega’s training.

The thing is this, Lance really didn’t mind Keith training. He’s good at it and it calms him down for some reason (also Lance can’t deny the pleasant shivering that goes down his spine every time he watches Keith bend just like that), but it’s been a three hour, non-stop workout that just can’t be healthy for anyone. Especially not when Lance can literally smell the omega’s distress in the air, and also that tangible, sugary hint of preheat. Obviously something is wrong, but he won’t even stop his training for long enough to answer Lance. Keith just really should not be training in this state.

“What’s going on?” Pidge’s voice carries tentatively behind him before she plops down next to him. “It smells like Keith’s about to have a mental breakdown in here, even I can feel it,” she said referring to the fact that she is a beta, someone who usually can’t smell the day to day pheromones being released from our scent glands.

Lance groaned as a response.

The scents of Hunk, Shiro and Allura gets picked up by his nostrils as they too apparently decided it’s time to bother Keith and his training. Shiro’s alpha scent is literally the embodiment of manly, it reminds Lance of camp fires and really fancy scotch. Hunk, a beta, has a warm scent. It can’t really be compared to anything Lance knows, it just smells warm and cozy, the same goes for Pidge’s scent, only a little earthier where Hunk’s is more the smell of sunshine. Allura however has got a stereotypical scent that reeks of royalty, very stiff and posh, like an old Lady Chanel perfume or something. Alteans don’t really have secondary sexes, but they do have scents. Lance can’t always read hers or Coran’s scents (actually all aliens are hard to read) but it’s always the first thing that reveals her when they all play a massive game of Castle hide and seek.

Now, Keith’s scent… it’s something else. Lance has always had trouble reading Keith by scent alone, which is now somewhat explained by the fact that he’s half galra. But even though it’s foreign, it reminds Lance so much of home he has never been able to keep away from Keith since the day he first saw him. It’s just something about that smell and Keith in general that lures him in and makes him want to stay close to Keith and nestle his nose into his scent glands like some love-crazy alpha. But now his scent is clouded with the unpleasant combination of sour distress and sweet omega heat. This particular combination is something that triggers every alphas’ instincts to go haywire with the need to please and make sure said omega is calm and safe. Which is something Keith is an expert of ignoring, hence why Lance has been nervously hovering for the past hours, nagging like the overbearing alpha he is.

“Is he still training?” Shiro asks, rather stupidly, staring at Keith flinging himself across the training deck. He looks like he’s ready to collapse. Lance only manages a groan again, but this time it’s tainted with an alphas frustration of the inability to help a distressed omega, so it came out as more of a growl.

“Uh, isn’t he going into heat soon?” Hunk twists his fingers together as if holding an invisible cloth in his hands, and then he throws two heavy looks at the alphas in the room. This only fuels Lance’s frustration.

Lance is super fucking aware that Keith’s heat is about to start. Keith’s been stinking up the castle for what feels like an eternity with his sweet, sweet preheat scent, which forces Lance to constantly put himself in place and reel in every single instinct that screams for him to _mate mate mate_ this perfect omega. A few days ago when he knocked into Keith in the kitchen on his way to get a late night snack he literally had to breathe through his mouth so he wouldn’t do something stupid like _attack_ the deliciously smelling omega. And Keith just stood there in Lances arms before pressing into him and nosing up his neck, just like that one time when they were 16. Lance could hear Kill-Bill sirens in the background when Keith looked up at him with those dark, sultry omega eyes and—swear to God— _whimpered_ as if inviting him to do the same and sink his teeth into his soft, pale skin. Luckily for Lance, Shiro decided to also have a bit of a snack at midnight right then and interrupted the weird déjà vu moment between them. Lance just squealed awkwardly and fled back to his room, without a snack and still breathing through his mouth. That one had been a close call.

There is something about Keith that just _sings_ to Lance’s alpha, like a god damn siren. Keith is the perfect omega all around, the only omega that Lance has ever wanted ever since he caught a swift of Keith’s scent for the first time in the dorm corridors of the Garrison, maybe even earlier than that even though he didn’t know he was an omega then. Ever since Lance has desperately wanted to be his alpha, constantly trying to show off and get the omega’s attention amongst so many other suitors. But time after time this concept has proven so unrealistic—Keith is simply way out of his league, too unreachable—Lance has just given up and tried to be content with being forced just living at a close proximity to his dream mate but never being allowed to do anything about it. He is just so god damn tired of the omega not taking care of himself when he’s got so many people around him who cares about his wellbeing.

“Yep,” he answers Hunk, seething with his eyes locked on the stubborn omega in front of them. “He sure is. And I’ve been reminding him of this for like an _hour_ now but _someone_ just can’t seem to _listen,_ ” Lance yells loudly so Keith can hear him. And he hears him alright, because as soon as Lance raised his voice Keith practically threw his bayard away, screaming for the training bots to end the session and turning to Lance.

“Are you for fucking real right now Lance?” Keith yells back, taking several steps towards the alpha. The fucked up thing is that even though Keith is clearly mad at Lance the alpha can’t help but sigh in relief for finally having his attention. So he quickly gets up from where he was seated and meets Keith halfway across the room, neck to neck as always.

“Yeah, I’m for fucking real, Keith.” Lance crosses his arms on his chest and juts out a hip when he stops directly in front of him. “You really should start to listen when we just want what’s best for you.”

“Ha!” Keith suddenly bursts out. “So now you want what’s best for me?” he shouts, his distress pheromones so intense in the air Lance almost chokes on his breath. Enough to make Lance actually freeze up in confusion and release some unwilling distress pheromones of his own. Was that not the right thing to say?

“Uh… yeah? I-I always want what’s best for you,” Lance says tentatively before realizing what he just said. “I mean, _we_ -“ Lance says quickly, gesturing across the rest of the team in the room. “ _We_ always want what’s best for you. As in, uh, the whole team…”

Keith just stares at him for a while and Lance immediately feels scrutinized by his violet eyes. Then he seems to come to some sort of conclusion as his eyebrows furrows down.

“You are such a fucking asshole, Lance,“ he says (and okay, so Lance feels like Keith might have a point in general, but in this specific moment he can’t really agree). “You have never cared before and now you come in here with your stupid fucking alpha scent and watch me train for three fucking hours, and then you fucking dare to tell me what I should be doing before my heat starts, as if you know what’s best for me—as if that is any of your god damn _business_.” Keith takes a deep breath but never looks away from Lances eyes. “Are you my mate Lance?” Lance suddenly feels backed into a corner in this conversation. “Are you?” Keith inquires, taking a step closer to the quivering alpha.

“N-no,” Lance manages.

“Then why the fuck have you been in here with your stupid water bottle the entire time? Why are you trying to take care of me? Why are you so invested in whether or not I’m nesting or whatever you think an omega really should be doing before a heat?” Lance is shaking his head only because he feels it will please the omega, still very confused with the situation, and yet he has never been able to read Keith’s pheromones better than in this moment. But his pheromones are not correlating to his outburst. Lance can smell distress, sadness, frustration… desperation? Sure, maybe a hint of anger but not at all the kind that Keith is displaying outwards right now.

“Why are you so angry?” Lance throws back at him, getting angry himself at the unfair treatment. “I don’t understand, Keith. Do you not want me to care about you? We’re your teammates! Of course we’re going to care about you,” Lance tried to reason. Keith just groans in frustration back at him.

“Hey, Lance, buddy… maybe we should just let Keith be alone for a while?” Hunk butts in, placing a hand on Lance’s shoulder. Lance doesn’t look at him, too busy staring down Keith.

“No, I want to know what Keith’s fucking problem is. He’s clearly in for a heat like literally any minute now, stinking up the whole place with his heat pheromones without an ounce of consideration for the alphas here, and then when I thought ‘hey, maybe I should check up on Keith and make sure he’s okay’ then _I’m_ apparently the asshole alpha who can’t stay in my business though really it’s this _omega_ that can’t keep his _business_ to himself.” During his speech Lance had taken a step closer to Keith, towering above the omega. He was unaware of the intimidating position until Keith broke eye contact to bare an inch of his neck to the aggressive alpha in a submissive gesture to calm him down. Lance immediately took half a step back, surprised by his uncharacteristic gesture. Submission did not suit Keith when it clearly wasn’t his choice to be submissive.

“ _Lance_ ,” Shiro says sharply, defending his little brother, and Lance knows that what he said was kinda out of line, but it’s also kinda true and he’s not just going to stand here and get shewed out by Keith when all he did was trying to make sure he was alright. Keith glanced up at his retreating figure again, eyes shiny with yet unshed tears. Lance gasps lightly in surprise seeing Keith holding back from crying.

“Is this just a game to you?” Keith chokes out beside a barely constricted sob. “Have you just been playing with me? This whole time?”

“What?” Lance asks genuinely confused at this point. Game? What _game_? Keith dries a few tears away from his face before leveling him with a glare.

“You really are a no good alpha,” he says, voice strained but ice cold. The words are simple, but an omega telling an alpha that they are a bad alpha, and vice versa, has huge social stigma. So sure, the words are simple but they break Lance’s heart and makes him want to hide away in his room for like a few years. All he’s ever wanted was to show Keith what a good alpha he could be for him, to show him how much he cares and how good he could take care of him if Keith ever actually started to notice him, but now it all seems to be for absolutely nothing.

Lance hears Hunk clearly amongst the others protest what Keith just said but Keith only clears his throat before continuing. “You really don’t get why you are being such an asshole right now, do you? You just think you can do whatever you want? Bring me gifts and food one day and then go flirt with some random alien on a random planet the next day. Make me believe that you—that you would maybe want to… _court_ me or something. Then you fucking run away from me like I’m carrying a disease, and _then_ you come here and demand me to behave the way you think I should behave? Why? Because I’m an omega? Fucking wake up, Lance! We don’t live in the 20’s anymore. I have rights and am allowed to do as I please and not fucking bow down to alphas everywhere, you fucking entitled piece of shit alpha,” Keith says surprisingly calm despite the tears that are spilling down his cheeks.

If there’s one thing that Lance is sure of when it comes to himself, it’s that he will _not_ play into the entitled alpha stereotype. He just won’t. And he knows he’s not one of those alphas that think omegas are supposed to be submissive little arm candy for alphas. Fuck, him being in love with Keith, the most stubborn, unconventional omega out there is further proof of Lance not being one of those fucking entitled piece of shit alphas as Keith so nicely put it. His mama would never allow it. _But_ … that doesn’t mean that what Keith just said didn’t hurt. It doesn’t mean that Lance isn’t just a 20 year old guy who’s love of his life just told him what a _bad alpha_ he is. This doesn’t mean that he can’t be petty enough to hurt Keith back. So he takes a calming breath before glaring back at him.

“You know what Keith?” he says. “You have absolutely no filter what so ever. You are annoyingly stubborn, can’t handle social gatherings and you’re an impulsive bitch of an omega. You nag all the time, can’t talk about feelings and apparently you can’t even take care of yourself before a heat. You have absolutely no redeeming qualities for an omega. No alpha would ever want you, and do you know why?” Lance leans down a bit to get to Keith’s level, as the omega’s been inching back from Lance for every word that have left his mouth. He stares Keith right into the eyes, ignoring the omega’s trembling lower lip. “It’s because _you_ are a _bad omega_.”

Several things happen at the same time after those words left Lance’s lips. Behind Lance he hears the others yell at him and protest his words (louder than they protested what Keith said before, which he thinks is a bit unfair) but their protests get easily drowned out by the sound coming out of Keith. Lance is still looking Keith in the eyes as the noise embossed with acutely distressed omegas struggles out of his throat. It’s a noise only omegas are able to produce, though most omegas never have to live a day making the noise.

The next thing that happens is that Lance immediately falls down to his knees in a crouched position, which is exactly what the instinctive omega noise is supposed to do to whoever is threatening them. And as soon as Lance is down he hears Keith make yet another, more everyday kind of distressed noise and then he’s running out of the training deck, leaving the rest of them in a deafening silence.

After a few seconds Lance feels as if he can move again, and dares to turn around to glance at the exit, but instead he’s greeted by the sight of Shiro in a similar crouched position as Lance, Pidge and Hunk with their hands over their ears. Allura just looks incredibly shocked and confused.

“What the quiznak just happened? I couldn’t move there for a split second” she asks with wide eyes. Lance can’t find his voice to answer.

“I’ve never heard an omega shrill before,” Pidge says aloof, as if she’s still collecting her thoughts.

“And what is an omega shrill?” Allura asks again.

“I don’t think anyone of us have heard one before,” Shiro grunts and gets up on his feet again. “An omega shrill is an instinctual sound specific to omegas, princess. It’s a defense mechanism. An omega can only make that sound in situations where they feel immensely threatened or in distress.” Even though Shiro was clearly answering Allura’s question he never once directed his eyes away from Lance, still kneeling on the floor. Lance probably wouldn’t be able to get up yet even if he tried, as the direct target of the omega shrill he is clearly still a bit shaken up.

“Oh, I see,” Allura says stiffly, now also bringing her angry gaze to Lance.

“Lance, what the fuck?” Pidge says, suddenly all composed and equally as angry as everyone else. Lance winces and looks down at the floor. Hunk sighs deeply and it settles in Lance as worse than when Shiro’s disappointed with him.

“I didn’t mean it,” Lance starts, but he gets immediately interrupted.

“Well it doesn’t matter now, does it?” Pidge hisses. Lance actually flinches as this tiny beta comes on to him. “I have never—ever—seen Keith like that before, okay? I mean fine, yes, I knew he was unhappy and have been for a while and I know you are the reason why but Jesus Christ I never would have guessed you’d make him fucking omega shrill you absolute _dickwad_. I just thought he was going to talk to you about it or something, or I don’t know, fucking drag you into his nest like the lack-of-impulse-control-omega he is, because, I mean, as if you’d ever get it through your thick scull to actually _ask_ him—“

“Wow wow wow, wait! Hold your fucking horses Pidge!” Lance blurts out, interrupting her right back. “What the fuck do you mean ‘drag me into his nest’?” Lance is staring at Pidge with eyes as big as plates, and Pidge only now finds the audacity to look sheepish.

“Uh… I mean—Keith is,,, He’s, uh,” Pidge stammers, slowly backing away. But now everyone is staring at her waiting for an explanation. She sighs in defeat. “Fine. You guys did not hear this from me okay?” she says, pointing at everyone expectedly, even though she knows Keith will automatically know she’s told them. “So Keith’s been kinda coming to me to rant about what a _cute_ and _amazing_ and _fuck, such a good alpha_ Lance is for the past weeks, okay? I mean, he never told me this specifically but I had _eyes_ even back then and I’m pretty damn sure he’s been in love with you since like day one at the Garrison, dude. I cannot believe how long you idiots have been dancing around each other,” she says putting her arms across her chest.

Lance only stares at her, mouth wide open.

Keith _in love_ with Lance. No, this doesn’t make any sense. Lance can’t even compute the sentence. Pidge must have misunderstood Keith or something, there’s no way he’s been gushing about him to Pidge.

“Lance I can see your rusty little gears for a brain slowly turning and working hard to believe me, and frankly I don’t really care, but I’m telling you the truth. Keith’s been walking around for weeks torturing himself acting like _the perfect omega_ or whatever while trying to figure out a way to make you spend his heat with him, as if it would be any harder than just asking you. Jesus Christ, you’d follow him anywhere like a little puppy,” Pidge huffs.

“What! I—I don’t… this—what?” Lance stammers.

“Come on Lance, even I can tell our Keith has been directing his _heart eyes_ in your direction,” Allura says, looking proud of using the term ‘heart eyes’ correctly.

“But then why the fuck didn’t he say something!?” Lance manages to squeeze through his dry throat, though he himself still has a hard time believing any of this.

“Honestly, I can kinda see why Keith would be hesitant that Lance loves him back,” Hunk says while scratching his neck. Lance turns to glare in disbelief at him. “Come on, buddy. You’ve been flirting with every pretty sentient being you’ve come across, and Keith is just as blind as you are when it comes to noticing if people like you.”

“Exactly, I mean Keith literally was working himself up today to talk to you Lance. He just needed some training time to calm down, and then you had to go and follow him and nag on him like you’re already his alpha or something like jeez, I can see why he got mad at you. You hardly ever pay any attention to him unless you want to fight or pull his pigtails, then you go flirt with other aliens and then _boom_ his heat is here and now you wanna play mates all of a sudden? Textbook asshole alpha move, Lance.” Pidge gives him a meaningful glare.

“I just—I didn’t even think I had a chance with him.” Lance stared down at his hands. It feels like his whole worldview has been shattered. All this time Keith has never once shown any _real_ interest in him. Sure, through the five years they’ve known each other they have both had their weird moments and been forced into awkward situations (most of which Lance is half sure are only wishful dreams on his part), and he can’t deny the playful flirting that is mixed with their usual banter, but Lance have always been 100% sure that him and Keith was just never going to happen.

“But you do, Lance,” Shiro encourages him, and Lance dares a quick glance up at the brother of his dream omega. It must mean something if the only other alpha that Keith has let close says Lance has a chance, right?

“Oh my god, _Hunk_ , it’s sophomore year all over again,” Pidge groans. She’s got her fingers pinching the bridge of her nose, lifting up the frames of her glasses. Lance frowns.

“I for one think you should go find him and talk this through,” Allura says confidently, though she’s met with several doubtful glances. “What?” she says.

“Well, maybe that is not the best thing to do now directly after… what just happened. Lance, you remember sophomore year when you forced Keith into his heat? Uh, the first time I mean, not the second one.” Hunk looks puzzled. Apparently it’s a hard time keeping track of every time Lance has fucked up Keith’s life.

“ _Hunk_!” Lance shrieks, not wanting to remind everyone of that incident.

“Well, I recall telling you that that would probably not be the thing you do that makes Keith hate you, and I don’t think he hates you now either—not at all—but, buddy, I think you hit pretty close this time,” Hunk explains, looking sheepish. Shiro levels Lance with a glare that makes him want to bow down his head in submission to the protective alpha.

“What? No! Now is exactly the time he should talk to Keith, before his heat starts and he has to wait a whole week.” Pidge looks exasperated as she speaks.

“I actually agree with Hunk… Keith fucking hates me now, I made him _omega_ _shrill_ for fucks sake! I’m probably just gonna, like, fling myself out of the airlock and never speak to Keith ever again,” Lance mumbles. Allura and Pidge both turn their head so fast towards him he’s afraid they’ll snap their necks.

“Lance!”

“No, what the fuck? You should go talk to him now so you can go make up and share his heat and make cute little babies!” Pidge cries out, shocking everyone to silence.

“Pidge!” Shiro exclaims. Lance only stares at Pidge with a tomato red face, now imagining what Keith would look like pregnant with his kids (and _boy_ does that do something to his inner alpha), and then he immediately tries to scratch that image off his eye lens as he’s acutely aware that they’re having this conversation in front of Shiro, _Keith’s brother._

“You fucking know what I mean!” she shrieks back. “Lance.” She turns towards the alpha. “Just fucking go talk to Keith, everything’s gonna be fine. You two fuckers belong together, okay?” She gives him a look he can’t escape so he slowly nods, takes a deep breath and gets up to his feet to follow the trail of that scent that reminds him so much of home—and if it means he’ll also escape the awkward glances from Shiro he’s completely fine with that.

The rest of them watches him exit the training deck before collectively turning to stare at Pidge. She gives them all a weird look.

“What?”

“So you’re still a Klance shipper?” Hunk says grinning. Pidge blushes.

“I’m not! I just didn’t want all of my time spent with Keith complaining about Lance’s stupid pick-up lines to be all for nothing!”

“Yeah, sure. Tell that to senior year you who were like _‘oh my god why don’t they just bone! They’re practically married—just give me a god child already’_ ”

 _“_ Shut up, Hunk!”


End file.
